December 21
1800s *1881 - The National Association Boston Red Stockings meets and elects a new board of directors, who will retain Harry Wright as manager. The club reports an operating surplus of $75 on home attendance of around 35,000. 1900s-1930s *1911 - Future Hall of Fame catcher Josh Gibson is born in Buena Vista, Georgia. Although record-keeping in the Negro Leagues is somewhat nebulous, Gibson will become the leading home run hitter in all of black baseball. His legendary power will earn him the nickname, “The Black Babe Ruth.” Gibson began his pro career at age 18 with the Homestead Grays before becoming a star with the Pittsburgh Crawfords. *1921 - At the major league meetings, the American League votes to return to the best-of-seven World Series and the National League votes to keep it best-of-nine. Judge Landis casts the deciding vote, and the best-of-seven format is reinstated. *1926 - Rogers Hornsby, who batted .317 and managed the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Championship in 1926, is traded to the New York Giants for Frankie Frisch and Jimmy Ring. While the trade of future Hall of Famers is highly unpopular in St. Louis, Frisch will become a fan favorite and bat .300 or better in seven of his next eight seasons while successfully managing the team for six years. Hornsby will bat .361, .387, and .380 over the next three seasons while bouncing between the Giants, Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs. *1929 - Bill Carrigan has had enough of managing the Boston Red Sox. He resigns, and Heinie Wagner signs on for a year contract. *1935: **The Brooklyn Dodgers trade Ray Benge, Tony Cuccinello, Al Lopez and Bobby Reis to the Boston Braves for Ed Brandt and Randy Moore. **The Pittsburgh Pirates sends pitcher Claude Passeau and catcher Earl Grace to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Al Todd. Passeau will have three decent seasons in Philadelphia before blossoming with the Cubs. 1940s-1960s *1940: **Chicago writers name Cleveland Indians shortstop Lou Boudreau as the outstanding rookie in MLB. Boudreau will be honored at the annual January banquet. **Connie Mack acquires controlling interest in the Philadelphia Athletics from the Shibe family at the price of $42,000. *1944 - National League statistics show Brooklyn's Dixie Walker at the top of the hitters with a .357 batting average, ahead of Stan Musial at .347. In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the National League Most Valuable Player Award goes to fielding wizard shortstop Marty Marion, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The St. Louis Cardinals committed only 112 errors and averaged .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Cincinnati Reds. Marion is the third different Cardinals player in three years to win the honor. *1960 - Chicago Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley announces the club will not have a manager for the next season, but will instead use a college of coaches, who will take turns managing the ballclub. The original eight coaches include Charlie Grimm, Ripper Collins and Rube Walker. Before the season is over, Alvin Dark, Charlie Metro, and Buck O’ Neil will also take turns leading the team. The results will be disastrous for the Cubs, who will finish the season 35 games out of first place. 1970s *1970 - Houston Astros outfielder Jimmy Wynn is stabbed during a domestic dispute. Wynn will undergo abdominal surgery but will recover in time to start the 1971 season… *1977 - Free agent Orioles pitcher Ross Grimsley is signed by the Montreal Expos. Grimsley will reward Montreal with a 20-game winning season in 1978. 1980s *1981: **The Philadelphia Phillies sign future Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt to a six-year contract worth $1.2 million per season. During the strike-shortened 1981 season, Schmidt led the National League in home runs (31), RBI (91) and runs (78). **Twenty-two-year-old Royals pitcher Mike Jones, who was 6-3 with a 3.20 ERA in the second half of the season and was projected to be the club's third starter next year, is listed in guarded condition after crashing his car while driving under the influence near Rochester, NY. Jones will not pitch in the majors again until 1984. *1982 - All-Star first baseman Steve Garvey signs a free agent five-year contract with the San Diego Padres. Garvey leaves the Los Angeles Dodgers after 14 seasons. *1987 - The Oakland Athletics sign free agent outfielder Dave Henderson, who played this past season with the San Francisco Giants. *1989 - The Dodgers sign free agent outfielder Hubie Brooks. 1990s *1992 - The Colorado Rockies sign free agent outfielder Daryl Boston. *1995: **After considering an attractive offer from the Orioles, free agent pitcher David Cone re-signs with the Yankees a three-year deal worth $18 million. **The Red Sox sign free agent pitcher Tom Gordon to a two-year contract. **The Orioles sign free agent second baseman Roberto Alomar to a three-year $18 million contract. **The Royals send first baseman Wally Joyner and a minor league pitcher to the Padres in exchange for infielder Bip Roberts and a minor league pitcher. *1999: **The Seattle Mariners sign free agent pitcher Arthur Rhodes to a four-year contract. **The Dodgers are fined $50,000 and banned from scouting any Dominican Republic players for one year as a penalty for having signed third baseman Adrián Beltré as a 15-year-old. Beltré is not given his free agency, according to Commissioner Bud Selig, because he participated in the scheme, and because the claim for free agency was made too late. The players association is expected to file a grievance in the matter. 2000s *2000 - Hoping to pick it up where it all started, 41-year old OF Tim Raines agrees to a minor league contract with the Montreal Expos, the team he broke in with in 1979. After retiring in Yankees camp during spring training with a .295 career batting average, Raines failed to make this year's U.S. Olympic team. *2001 - The Boston Red Sox sign free agent CF Johnny Damon to a four-year contract. *2002 - After declining their club option, the Arizona Diamondbacks decide to retain veteran 1B Mark Grace. A lifetime .305 hitter, Grace agrees to a one-year deal which includes a club option for the 2004 season. *2005 - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agreed to terms with C Toby Hall and P Lance Carter on one-year contracts and the St. Louis Cardinals sign P Sidney Ponson to a one-year contract. Births *1887 - Cy Williams, outfielder (d. 1974) *1911 - Josh Gibson, Hall of Fame Negro League player (d. 1947) *1920 - Bill Werle, pitcher *1925 - Bob Rush, All-Star pitcher *1936 - Howie Reed, pitcher (d. 1984) *1941 - Paul Casanova, All-Star catcher *1947 - Elliott Maddox, outfielder *1948 - Dave Kingman, All-Star infielder/outfielder *1952 - Joaquín Andújar, All-Star pitcher *1957 - Tom Henke, All-Star pitcher *1960 - Roger McDowell, pitcher *1960 - Andy Van Slyke, All-Star outfielder *1972 - LaTroy Hawkins, pitcher *1972 - Dustin Hermanson, pitcher *1977 - Buddy Carlyle, pitcher *1977 - D'Angelo Jiménez, infielder *1977 - Freddy Sánchez, infielder *1980 - Royce Ring, pitcher Deaths *1843 - John Warner, catcher (b. 1872) *1985 - Joe Genewich, pitcher (b. 1897) *1988 - Willie Kamm, infielder (b. 1900) *2005 - Elrod Hendricks, catcher (b. 1940)